Case stacker



R. A. SCOTT CASE STACKER Aug. 27, 1940.

Filed Feb. 8, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R.4A. SCOTT CASE STACKER Aug. 27, 1940.

Filed Feb. 8, 1940 2 SheetS-Shet 2 40 stacker with the upper end broken away; i w "an object resting against a Slat will be moved Patented Aug. 27,1940v y l i i* UNITED SiTAiiES` PAT FFICE y L* 2,212,702 i l f CASE STACKER. Roger A. scctaKirsliri, ma., assigner tc American Utensil Company, a orporationof Illinois Application Februarys, 1940, serial No. 317,916 4 Claires. (o1. 19a- 26) `My invention relates to case stackers or elevatthe upper conveyor belt roller, and is taken on 'ing devices and is principally .designed for` use the line `ti---i of Fig. la;

in canning plants, warehouses, breweries, dairies Fig. 7 is a plan sectional View of the `drive and f and other places where materials in cans, bottles brake mechanism taken generally on the Vlines or other containers are usually handled in standi-T 0f Figl; I i

- ard size cases, boxes, cartons orfcrates. In all AFig. 8 is a vertical sectional viewthrough the such places large .quantities of cases, boxes,` care supporting frame and is taken generally onthe tons or crates are usually `stored and `must be liliesv 8 3 0f Fig. 1.; moved in stacking or unstacking or in loading Fig. 9 iS a fragmentary SeeiJiOrlai VieW SiTlOWiiig 10 or unloading trucks or cars] n the mechanism forf controlling the boom eleva- 10 The principal object ofl the present` invention tion, and is to'provide a case stacker that is an improvef Fig- 10 iS `a CrOSS-SeetOnal View thrOllgh the ment over anything. at present on the market. iGWer P1af0rm-me0iiani5mfi A further object of the invention is to provide In the embodiment. of the invention which I 16 amachine of the type described by having a boom have chosen to illustrate, I have provided a rec- 15 which is automatically adjustable and movableto tailgU-iar frame" mfWlfliChL may be COYIIPVOSed 0f a desired angle and height. angular irons suitably secured together in the A further object is to providea machine of the usual manner arid Supportedupon a plurality 0f type described having antimprcved automatic roller members l2. The "rellersmay be univerf 20 feed mechanism associated with bothi the top Sally mOurlted'SO that theyrnay b'eaSiiyfii'IeCieCi 20 and bottom ends ci the boom sc` that cases cr in any desired direetiorl- The frame Hi maybe crates may be fed to they ccnyeyorv'frcm either provided adjacent One end with a pair of upright end, v i frame memberslll secured'together by a'rei'n- A further Object is to. provide animpmved forcing" angle li and the cross-braces `i3 and Z. machine of the type describedithat is extremely Ai? the OrWard er1 `0f4 Jffhe'frairle i0 v(Fig- 1), I 25* light and capable of easy movement from place Provide a pair 0f upright Standards 22 adapted to place,A yet suciently strong .and sturdy so to support a drive shaft 2e 'and a roller 2B. A that it will withstand longand hard usage'with` pair 0f angle members 23 and 3@ are'vadapiedito outbecomingbroken` or out ofror'der. Y be DiVOtaiiy IrlOllrlteCi 1119011 the Shaft 24.

A further objectV is to provide safety means; The angle members 28 and 30 may fOrm the 30' for rigidly securingthe boom in a desired-raised Side frames 0f a boem 32 Which earrieS a OrOSS- position so that regardless A,of the load being Shaft 34 at its Upper end that iS Supported in lthe elevated the boom will not slip vror `lower during take-lll9 bOSSeS 35 and 33. A roller 40 is mounted operation. i on said shaft disposed between the side angles 35 other Objects. and advantagesxwiu 10e.` more 28V and Se. A conveyor belt 42 is adapted to be 35 apparent from the following description wherein trained about vthe rollers 26 Vandailil). The belt reference is had to the accompanying two sheetsY may be Provided With reellangulariy Shaped Slat of drawings, upon which w f members l disposed'at regular intervals upon Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View 'through the its 'face so thatwhen` the conveyor belt is moving,

` Fig.- 1a is a Continuation 0f Fig, 1 and show forwardin the direction of movement of the belt. l the upper end of the boom and platform; `The belt is supported during its forward move- Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the upper end merli either irl arl 1113er dOWrl direetierl illDOn the of the stacker and loading platform; f Side frames 28 and 30 of the boom by a plurality Fig. 3 is a fragmentary Sectional View @f .i-,he of. roller `members 46 `which are disposed at 45" same parts showing the adjustment for the belt regular intervals in suitable Vbracket members 48 fastener; i Y attached to the side members 28'and 3i). Fig. 4 isV an enlarged cross-sectional View showi Theb00m`32 iS DrOVided at its upper end With a ing the belt suppcrting'structuretandis-taken on work receiving olf-discharge platform 50 con-` 5o the line 4 4 ci Fig. 1; n i structed cf a pair of angie members- 52 arrasa 504 Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View throughthe which support aplU-rality OfrOllerS 561m' suitable upper carriage showing the automatic feed mech-aA bearing InelflbelsV 58-faSter1ed in the inside of anism associated therewith, and is taken on the? theV angle members. The platform 50 may be lines 5 5 of Fig. 2; J f supported at the lupper end of the boom by a pair Fig. lisis.` an enlarged sectional -view through of strap members 60 which extend upwardly 557 e from the side plates of the boom and are fastened inspite of the angle of the boom are provided.

, They comprise a pair of rigid strap members 64 pivotally secured to opposite sides of the frame members 52 and 54 and extending downwardly therefrom. The member 64 may be provided ,position extends upwardly into the path of cases with a plurality of slots 66 adaptedto fasten over suitable pins 63 that are carried by support members l@ which extend downwardly upon opc posite sides of the boom 32. tion it is a simple matterto adjust the upper carriage toa desired position. f

Vi/'hen cases are fed downwardly from the upper carriage l, it is desired to provide automatic means for preventing them from fallingor sliding a distance to strike on the slat members 4,4. Accordingly, the platform Eil may have a stop member l2 pivotally mounted thereon and providedwith an upright portion fi that in normal upon the rollersf and prevents forward movement of the cases. The member 'FZYhas a further extension liextending directly over the belt l2 so that when a slat iii engages the extension l@ the memberIZ is `swung `about its pivot and the stop lli is lowered so thata case can move `forward over the` same and go downthe conveyor in engagement with the slat 44E. The member 'I2 isAll normally held in the position shown by a spring V'i3 about bolt'IB.) When moving cases invan upwardy direction, the stop member 'l2 may be slid downwardly with the bolt 78 and be removably `secured in an inoperative positionn A sprocketfliljony the irstlroller may be driven by a. chain from a sprocketl on the shaft 34.

To operate the conveyor belt 42 in either directionk li'y provide4v a reversible motor 80 mounted upon suitable supports on the lower platform Il). The, motor 8@ may be injdriving connection with a suitable gear reduction member t2 that has a cross shaftV .84 connected with a sprocket 86. The sprocket 3B is connected by a chain 88 with a vsprocket Sil whichis in driving connection with the 4shaft'2nl. v Thus, by operating a switch, kthe motor 80 will be adapted 'to drive the conveyor belt i2 either up or down as required by the job to be done. c v l ,.Meansffor raising or lowering Vthe boom 32 automatically are also provided: This means may,comprise a cable.92 which'has one end rigidly connected to a fastener 94 at the upper end of one of the vertical supports lil. The cable l Q2 may extend downwardly and pass over aV plurality, of rollers @E connected belowthe boomf frame formed by theangles 28 and Sil.' The cable may extendupwardly and pass over a suitable roller fastenedby a bracket lllilupon the side of opposite upright I il. The cable may then extend downwardly about a pulley I 02secured to` the side of the lower frame Ill, about av pulley IM secured to the bottom of the lower frame Iii, and then forward'and `around a drum |06 which is mounted upon a shaft Hi8. The, shaft Hi8 may,

alsov carry a brake drum IIO and a clutch II2.

Thev clutchy may have its face opposing a similar clutch face on a pulley I I4 which has a chain I I6A trained, about the same. The chain II6 is in driving connection with a sprocket IIB upon the Vdrive shaft'. The clutch lever 26 is provided to'cause' the clutch faces 'I I2 lto engageV and rei volve the-winding drum IDS in the direction de- Y With thisv construc-v Thus, when the foot pedal |22 is pressed downwardly, the clutches are engaged and the shaft n |08 is revolved. At the same time the brake band I2I is released, permitting the shaft ISS to be revolved. From the above it can be seen that a simple yet efficient brake and boom raising orV lowering device has been provided. Thev operation of the same is obtained by releasing the lbrake and engaging theclutch members through thermanipulation of foot pedal E22. vWhen the foot pedal is released the brake band `I2I effectively engages the drum 'l Ill and rigidly holds the boom in the desired raised or lowered position.

The lower feed platform -ISll may comprise a' pair of side frame members E32 and I 3d which are supported at one end upon the cross shaft 24 and at the extended end upon a frame i3? which The carries the adjustable supporting rod 35. platform may be provided with a' plurality of sheaves ISS at its front and rear ends, upon which a plurality of V-belts i323 may be trained. The

sheaves may be driven by a chain drive from the shaft 245,130 the sprocket 2da on the Shaft Zlib which carries the sheaves I 3E.- v

With this construction itcan be seen that boxes or other containers may be vplaced upon the lower platform |30 and they will be moved forwardagainst the conveyor 42 so that the cleats `Sli can engage the same and move them upwardly to the top of the boom. The stacker is equally adaptable to moving cases to a high location or for removing the same and moving them down into a car or other desired location.

While I have illustrated and described one form of the invention, it will be apparent to and I do not wish to be limited in any particular; rather what I desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus of the class described comprising a supporting frame, a boom disposed at an angle i said boom, a vhorizontal platform carried by the upper vend of said `boom and automatic feed mechanism associated with said upper platform, said mechanism including `a box stopping member comprising a pivotally mounted L-shaped unit having one arm extending upwardly in the path of cases upon said upper platform and its otherarm extending over the upper end of said endless conveyor in position to'be moved about a pivot when a slat on the conveyor engages said arm, whereby the upwardly extendingarm of the unit is lowered to permit a case to move from said platform on toy said endless conveyor. l

2. Apparatus of the class described comprising an endless conveyor disposed thereon, spaced cleats secured 'to the surface of said conveyor, a

horizontal platform `adjacent the lower end of said boom, power driven means thereon for movl ing boxes upon said conveyor, a horizontal platlil vthose skilled'in the art that changes and modications may 'be made in the exact details shown,

form carried by the'upper end of said boom and automatic feed mechanism associated with said upper platform, said mechanism including a box Stopping member comprising a pivotally mounted L-shaped unit having one arm extending upwardly in the path of cases upon said upper platform and its other arm extending over the upper end of said endless conveyor in position to be moved about a pivot when-a slat on the-conveyor engages said arm, whereby the upwardly extending arm of the unit is lowered to permit a case to move from said platform on to said endless conveyor, a bolt member for supporting said mechanism, said' bolt memberl capable of mo-vement to move saidstopping member out of the path of boxes on said platform or conveyor when it is desired to move cases up on said conveyor to said platform. A

3. The combination` with a case stacker having a boom disposed at anangle, an endless conveyor disposed thereon, spaced slats on said conveyor and a platform secured to the end of said boom of automatic feed mechanism disposed beof cases upon saidv platform, an angular extension therefrom positioned over the upper end of said endless conveyor so arranged Ithat when a slat on said conveyor engages said extension, the mechanism is swung about its pivot to lower'the stop member and permit a `case to move from said platform on to said endless conveyor.

4:. The combination with a casestacker having a boom disposed at an angle, an endless conveyor disposed thereon, spaced slats on said conveyor and a platform secured to the end of said boom,` of automatic feed mechanism disposed between said boom and said platform, said mechanism including a stop member pivotally mounted on said platform, said stop member having an upright arm normally extending into the path of cases upon saidplatform, an angular extension therefrom positioned over the upper'end of said endless `conveyor so arranged that when a slat on said conveyor engages said extension the mechanism is swung about its pivot to lower the stop member and permit a case to move from said platform on to said endless conveyor, said mech- 

